\version "2.18.0"  %% and higher

%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=888
%% [...]

#(define space-set
  (list->char-set 
    (string->list "—.?-;,:“”‘’–— */()[]{}|<>!`~&…")))

#(define (width grob text)
  (let* ((X-extent 
           (ly:stencil-extent (grob-interpret-markup grob text) X)))
   (if (interval-empty? X-extent)
       0 
       (cdr X-extent))))

#(define (center-on-word grob)
  (let* ((text (ly:grob-property-data grob 'text))
         (syllable (markup->string text))
         (word-position
           (if (string-skip syllable space-set)
               (string-skip syllable space-set)
               0))
         (word-end
           (if (string-skip-right syllable space-set)
               (+ (string-skip-right syllable space-set) 1)
               (string-length syllable)))
         (preword (substring syllable 0 word-position))
         (word (substring syllable word-position word-end))
         (preword-width (width grob preword))
         (word-width (width grob (if (string-null? syllable) text word)))
         (note-column (ly:grob-parent grob X))
         (note-column-extent (ly:grob-extent note-column note-column X))
         (note-column-width (interval-length note-column-extent)))
         
  (- 
    (*
      (/ (- note-column-width word-width) 2)  
      (1+ (ly:grob-property-data grob 'self-alignment-X)))
    preword-width)))

melodies = \relative c'' {
  \autoBeamOff
  g8 a b c
  << { \voiceTwo c } \new Voice { \voiceOne d8 } >>
  << { \voiceOne c } \new Voice { \voiceTwo d8 } >>
  << { \voiceTwo c } \new Voice { \voiceOne e8 } >>
  << { \voiceOne c } \new Voice { \voiceTwo e8 } >>
  \oneVoice
  <c b> <b a> <a g> <g f> <f e>8.*2/3 <e d> <d c> <c c>
}

melody = \relative c'' {
  \autoBeamOff
  g8 a b c
  \voiceTwo c
  \voiceOne c
  \voiceTwo c
  \voiceOne c
  \oneVoice
  <c b> <b a> <a g> <g f> <f e>8.*2/3 <e d> <d c> <c c>
}

lyr = \lyricmode { \repeat unfold 16 "|" }

\score {
  <<
    \new Staff << \new Voice = "cows" \melodies >>
    \new Lyrics \with { \override LyricText.X-offset = #center-on-word } \lyricsto "cows" { \set stanza = "cow" \lyr }
    \new Staff << \new Voice = "ncows" \transpose c c' \melodies >>
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto "ncows" { \set stanza = "default" \lyr }
    \new Staff << \new Voice = "cow^8s" \transpose c c' \melodies >>
    \new Lyrics \with { \override LyricText.X-offset = #center-on-word } \lyricsto "cow^8s" { \set stanza = "cow" \lyr }
    \new Staff << \new Voice = "cow" \melody >>
    \new Lyrics \with { \override LyricText.X-offset = #center-on-word } \lyricsto "cow" { \set stanza = "cow" \lyr }
    \new Staff << \new Voice = "ncow" \transpose c c' \melody >>
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto "ncow" { \set stanza = "default" \lyr }
    \new Staff << \new Voice = "cow^8" \transpose c c' \melody >>
    \new Lyrics \with { \override LyricText.X-offset = #center-on-word } \lyricsto "cow^8" { \set stanza = "cow" \lyr }
  >>
  \layout {
    \context {
      \Score
      % just for easier comparison
      proportionalNotationDuration = #(ly:make-moment 1 16)
      \override SpacingSpanner.strict-note-spacing = ##t
    }
  }
}